Southern Star

A former royal palace in Kerala changed many hands before restorer LADY HAMLYN transformed it into a boutique stay for guests who like to be treated like royals Manju Sara Rajan.

The fate of a house depends on the fortunes of its owner. Should the standing and wealth of its master decline, like when a king loses his kingdom, then only luck can save the architecture. Considered like that, Chittoor Kottaram is one lucky building. It was built as a house for kings, but even though the kingdom dissolved, the rulers were replaced, and most vintage mansions like it eviscerated, this kottaram in Kerala held on, and now enjoys a second life as a luxurious single-key hotel.

Kottaram is the Malayalam word for ‘palace’. And Chittoor is best known for the Krishna temple within its pincode. The Chittoor Road, which connects the area with Kochi, Kerala’s financial capital, was built to access the temple, and the kottaram was a shortstop home for the Cochin rulers during temple visits. After Independence, as the state’s royals lost power, the maharajah declared he would surrender his palaces since a king without a kingdom was no longer in need of them. Yet, Chittoor Kottaram remained within the family because as a dwelling with just three bedrooms, it wasn’t officially classified as a palace. That twist of nomenclature rescued this manor from turning into another state edifice.